Title: Echo

Rating: G and fluuuuuuuffy

Characters: Mal and Serra, with brief appearances by Inara, Abram, and Aristaeus Westgate.

Pairings: Ermm, a little M/I and Serra/Ari

Summary: A Pirate Children oneshot, set across the time period between Mei-Mei and Tough.

Author's Note: Getting the Mal and Serra cuteness out of the way so I can focus on Kacey for my Christmas story and also giving Mal and Serra a little resolution that many felt were lacking at the end of Tough

For newbies: Brother, Shadow, Mei-Mei, Mischief, Pirate Children, Hell-Raising, Tough, Echo (?)

Cold beer in one hand, the other supporting the Mei-Mei’s rump, her head resting on his shoulder, Mal settles back onto one of whitewashed rocking chairs with a sigh. The ruckus of the family gathering inside fades to a dull roar, the warm breeze off the river brushing his face. His two-month-old daughter snuggles further into his shoulder, tiny fists grabbing onto his navy shirt as she emits a yawn that seems too large for her small size. He chuckles, brushing a soft kiss across the smattering of dark hair on her crown and then taking a swig of his brew.

He likes it here, for a brief respite between rougher jobs at least. Permanent settlement? No, he’s not up for that. Certainly not yet.

Mal sets down his beer and holds out little Serra. She meets his blue eyes with a pair of eyes that are already losing their newborn blue in favor of her mother’s brown. She’s very alert for her age, focusing on him momentarily before searching her surroundings for something more interesting. Mal bounces her a little, then returns her to his shoulder as she yawns again.

“Alright, Mei-Mei,” he smiles, rubbing her back through the soft cotton of her T-shirt and patting her diapered bottom. “Get your snooze in.”

And, for what he is sure will be one of the few times in her life, she seems obey, her dark eyes drooping closed in sleep. He drops another kiss against the baby soft skin of her temple and leans his head against the back of chair